1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a selectively removable tie-down strap winch assembly for a flatbed trailer and more particularly to a winch assembly which may be selectively positioned at any place along substantially the entire length of a flatbed trailer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tie-down devices have been used for many years for tying down cargo resting on the bed of flatbed trailers, stepdeck trailers and straight trucks. As used herein, the word xe2x80x9cvehiclexe2x80x9d will include all types of trailers and trucks wherein cargo is secured to the beds thereof. Presently known tie-down devices include a plurality of winches which are each selectively longitudinally movable on a shaft positioned at one side of the trailer bed. One end of a strap is inserted into a winch and passes over the cargo with the other end of the strap being normally secured to the other side of the trailer. If the winch supporting shafts extended the entire length of the trailer, they would serve their purpose. However, in some types of trailers, it is not possible to run the winch supporting shaft the entire length of the trailer beds due to wheels, toolboxes positioned between wheels, etc. Therefore, in certain trailer configurations, it is impossible to use a tie-down strap winch for several feet along the length of the trailer. Additionally, in some cases, it is advantageous to have the winches positioned above the surface of the bed.
A generally Y-shaped winch assembly is described for use with a trailer having an elongated cargo supporting bed having two metal side rails running longitudinally along outer side areas of the bed and spaced laterally therefrom by stand-off plates to define pocket areas therebetween. The winch assembly includes a substantially vertically disposed stem portion having a pair of upstanding, horizontally spaced-apart plates mounted on the upper end thereof. A rotatable tie-down strap receiver is rotatably mounted on and extends between the plates and has a winch ratchet mechanism operatively connected thereto for winding one end of a tie-down strap therearound. The stem portion of the winch assembly has a spring-loaded hook member movably mounted thereon which is adapted to selectively and releasably engage the lower end of one of the side rails, the lower end of a stand-off plate extending between the side rail and the trailer, or the lower end of the side of the trailer to anchor the winch assembly with respect to the trailer bed.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a selectively removable tie-down strap winch assembly for a trailer or truck.
A further object of the invention is to provide an invention of the type described which may be removably positioned in pocket areas along substantially the entire length of the trailer bed.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described wherein the device includes a spring-loaded hook member which may engage the lower end of a side rail, the lower end of a stand-off plate, or the lower end of the side of the trailer.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a selectively removable tie-down strap winch assembly for a flatbed trailer which may be inserted between the side rail and the side of the trailer bed or into a stake pocket.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.